My car doesn’t turn on, got new battery, changed oil and spark wires and plugs, but when and if it turns on it goes and stalls out
Car is an 01 Honda Accord VP 4 cylinders, got a new battery, new spark wires and plugs, got an P0420 check engine light and put some Mr. Gasket Cataclean but this was after the problem, may be the problem? Car also runs fine one day but decides to not turn on randomly.
My car has 144759 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello there, many faults will cause your 2001 Honda Accord to have the P0420 code and not turn on. The P0420 code indicates the vehicle has catalyst system efficacy below threshold. This is indicating the car is detecting the cars catalytic converter is not functioning properly or the engine is thought to be running to rich. Common causes of this are a plugged catalytic converter, failed oxygen sensor, leaking exhaust manifold, leaking exhaust, failing fuel injector, or a misfire condition. A qualified Technician such as one from YourMechanic will be able to diagnose your check engine light and car shutting off when driving issues.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
If you found oil has entered the spark plug tube galley then the oil may have shorted out all the coils and plug wires causing the engine no start. The oil is getting in the galley from a leaking valve cover gasket and the valve cover gasket should be replaced.
If your Honda Accord doesn`t start after a battery change, it may be because the battery terminals are not connected properly. It`s also possible that the starter is not working properly.
Check The Battery
A weak or dead 12v battery is most likely the cause of your Accord not cranking or cranking very slowly. Ensure the battery in your vehicle is in good condition. A battery with 12.5 volts should be used. Alternatively, you can jumpstart it if you don`t have a voltmeter.
The most common reasons a Honda Accord won`t start are a dead battery, an alternator problem, or failed starter.
One of the most common reasons why a car won`t start after an oil change has to do with the car battery. This can especially happen after a long, hot summer. The higher the temperature outside, the more strain that`s put on a car battery. Once the season ends, you`re more likely to have a WORN CAR BATTERY.
Low engine oil is an indicator that there is a problem with the engine. If the level gets low, it can prevent proper lubrication of critical components inside the engine and cause starting problems, engine failure, and damage to critical components.
The cranking continues, but the usual sound of the engine roaring to life doesn`t happen. If this happens to you, chances are it`s not the starter. Instead, it`s likely because your engine isn`t getting at least one of the four major components it needs to start: fuel, air, spark, or compression.
Why won`t my car start but the battery is good? If your car won`t start but the battery is good, the most common cause is a faulty starter – though it could also be to do with your fuel. You may have insufficient fuel to get the car going.
If your vehicle won`t start, it`s usually caused by a dying or dead battery, loose or corroded connection cables, a bad alternator or an issue with the starter. It can be hard to determine if you`re dealing with a battery or an alternator problem.
Typically, a vehicle will start and then quit because of an issue with the fuel or electrical system. It is important to monitor fuel levels as well as warning lights which can signal to the driver that a vehicle may quit unexpectedly.
If your key doesn`t turn in the cylinder of your Honda, you have two options: replacing the ignition lock and cylinder or repair the key and the cylinder. Usually, people just call a car dealer to handle this one, but this can be expensive and take a lot of time.
The most common reasons a Honda Accord key won`t turn are a binding steering column/lock, an ignition switch issue, or a problem with the ignition key.
Leaky O-rings (spark plug tube seals) are probably the number one cause of oil on spark plugs. Spark plug tube seals keep engine oil, coolant, and everything else on one side of your spark plugs, so they remain dry. If these rings fail, engine oil can leak into your spark plug well and onto your spark plugs.
If you notice oil on your spark plugs, it could mean there`s a leaky valve or gasket somewhere under your hood. Over time, excessive heat and natural wear and tear to gasket heads or valve covers can cause leaks that spew directly into your spark plug holes. In other cases, the damage may wind up being more severe.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My car doesn’t turn on, got new battery, changed oil and spark wires and plugs, but when and if it turns on it goes and stalls out
ANSWER : Hello there, many faults will cause your 2001 Honda Accord to have the P0420 code and not turn on. The P0420 code indicates the vehicle has catalyst system efficacy below threshold. This is indicating the car is detecting the cars catalytic converter is not functioning properly or the engine is thought to be running to rich. Common causes of this are a plugged catalytic converter, failed oxygen sensor, leaking exhaust manifold, leaking exhaust, failing fuel injector, or a misfire condition. A qualified Technician such as one from YourMechanic will be able to diagnose your check engine light and car shutting off when driving issues.
Car turn over won’t start have new battery starter and altinator and changed spark plug and spark plug wires and crankshaft sensor
ANSWER : Hi there. The first thing I would recommend would be to have a professional mechanic complete a digital scan of your ECU to see if there are any stored error codes that might pinpoint the source of your problem. However, one thing you might want to check yourself is the electrical harness connected to the crankshaft position sensor. In most cases, if this is diagnosed a being damaged, it’s actually the harness that is bad and needs to be replaced.
Spark plug chaos. Rubber stoppers are preventing the spark plugs from coming out.
ANSWER : Hi there. Try using a pair of small needle nose pliers to pull off the rubber boots from the spark plugs. As you pull, twist the rubber boots to break them free. If you cannot get the rubber boots off, then try using some mineral oil on the boots to aid them off, then clean off the oil with soap and water with degreaser. If you need further assistance with removing the boots from the spark plugs, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
just got a oil change Car engine temp got really hot, oil spilled under the hood, loud screeching and smoke when the car is on
ANSWER : Hi there. I honestly hate hearing horror stories like this and am very sorry this has happened to you. There are several things that could have caused this issue, ranging from the oil service place forgetting to put the oil cap back on, tighten the oil pan bolt or the oil filter was improperly installed; causing the oil to spray, increase engine temperature and many other possible damage to internal engine components. The first thing I would do is contact the oil service location and inform them of the problems you have experienced. They should be given every opportunity to resolve and repair this issue; or at least, have an "accident claim" filled out by you; as it’s possible that major damage may have occurred. If they are unwilling to help, I would set up an oil leak inspection from one of our professional mechanics so they can determine where the oil is leaking from and any other damage that has occurred. In the best case scenario, the issue can be resolved easily.
think i put wrong oil in car went few miles lose power car dies oil in spark plugs still starts low oil blinking light before die.
ANSWER : Hello. If you put too thick of an oil in the car, then you may have damaged the engine bearings but this should not have caused oil to get in to the spark plugs unless the oil got into the intake of the engine or one of the pistons rings broke. If you ran it without oil and then tried to put oil in thinking it would be okay after that, then you were not that lucky and broke or damaged all of the rings on the pistons. If you would like to have this looked over, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the stalling issue and go over all of the relevant systems for a better diagnosis.
My car is leaking oil i got an oil change for it last month but it is still leaking oil what will cause my car to leak oil ?
ANSWER : Most older cars have oil leaks. Sealing technology has just not kept up with mechanical improvements to engines so much so that leaks often kill engines rather than mechanical problems. So, it is not unexpected at all to have an, indeed many, oil leaks on a 23 year old car. Oil leaks vary hugely in terms of severity and priority of repair. Oil leaking onto a hot engine manifold is the worst case (the oil can start a fire; at best, you are left breathing oil fumes in the cabin, as the oil burns off of the manifold) while de minimus seepage of oil at the oil drain plug or oil pan gasket, while annoying and messy, if limited enough is not an emergency. Some leaks are easy to repair, while others literally require the engine to be removed just to get physical access to all the leak points. In your circumstance, if you smell burning oil, oil is probably leaking onto a hot engine part such as the exhaust manifold. A certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, can perform an oil leak diagnostic and then let you know of your repair options and costs.
As far as the check engine light, that is not related to the oil leak(s). If you request a check engine light diagnostic, a certified mechanic from YourMechanic would use a code scanner to retrieve the specific diagnostic trouble code(s) from your car’s PCM that have caused the check engine light to illuminate. Using those codes, the appropriate individual vehicle components or sub-systems (often a sensor, circuit, and the like) are then carefully tested, based on specifications set forth in your car’s Factory Service Manual, to pinpoint the cause of the fault or the reason why the check engine light has illuminated. Once the faulty part or component is identified, it is explained to your satisfaction and the mechanic will let you know of the cost to repair. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Engine will not stay started. I have replaced idle control valve map sensor spark plugs spark plug wires no check engine light is
ANSWER : You have a problem with the distributor assembly. I recommend replacing the distributor assembly. This will replace all the possible sensors and coil for the ignition and fix the problem you have.
My car will not start Intermittently. I purchased a new battery 2 weeks ago and yesterday the car wouldn’t start. Got a jump and
ANSWER : The issue you are having is probably due to an intermittent fault in the starter motor itself or a deficiency in the starter electrical circuit, for example a large voltage drop due to a poor ground or a high resistance connection. These issues can be readily diagnosed and resolved on a mobile basis if you request a hard starting diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. Based on Toyota’s Factory Service Manual, the battery should not be disconnected if the vehicle engine is running. The battery acts as a large resistive voltage sink and consequently taking the battery out of the circuit, while the alternator is still running, can create a voltage spike on the car’s electrical system which is not good for voltage sensitive components such as the engine computer. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
